Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Reaction and Discussion *CONTAINS SPOILERS*

[BrianL]

If Leia could fly through space after being sucked out into space, why couldn’t mace windu flynafter being pushed out of a window? He was obviously more powerful than Leia.

He was also in shock after losing an arm and being hit with force lightning. Actually though, it wasn't a definitive death for someone like Mace.

 

[chewlocca]

what’s the difference? The Sith Lord you speak of got tossed in a hole by a one handed guy.

 

[umichigan10]

what’s the difference? The Sith Lord you speak of got tossed in a hole by a one handed guy.

It’s always amazes me that there was a railing he had to get tossed over given the empire/first order is very anti handrail

 

[chewlocca]

Saw Jedi get killed by blaster fire but the vacuum of space is no match for someone that as far as we know never used any force power or was ever trained.

 

[chewlocca]

lol

 

[Aurora0427]

Leia used the force subconsciously during an immediate life or death situation.
This idea that Leia could do this was introduced in the LoA book released before this movie.

I have that book. I need to read it. Don’t have much time with two small kids, but I’ll make time!

 

[Aurora0427]

From the way Rian Johnson said it, Leia was able to use the force when her life was threatens by instinct - like those stories of people gaining superhuman strength to move a car when a child is trapped or whatever .... so she doesn't doesn't know how to actively use the Force - it was just by instinct ... plus Rey moved them pretty quick, it wasn't like they were there for an hour and it never dawned on her to at least try it

I agree about Ackbar - and in such a throwaway line as well ... he should have had a more heroic death - heck have him be the one who sacrifices himself in the spaceship going to lightspeed through the First Order ship

I didn’t know that about Leia. I went into the movie completely unspoiled and I haven’t had a chance to read the Leia book yet. Thanks for the explanation.

Totally love the idea of Ackbar sacrificing himself in the spaceship. That would’ve been way better.

 

[Aurora0427]

I am only about half way through this thread - but I saw it twice over the weekend and wanted to share my thoughts:

• Overall, I loved it! Was it my favorite? No, but still loved it!
• Had to buy the soundtrack immediately. Being a band geek I live for a good soundtrack and I LOVED all the old themes that were brought back for this. (The original princess Leia theme was the only part of the Mary Poppins scene that I didn't hate)
• Seriously, I was waiting for Yondu to yell out "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!" That was hard to watch.
• Snoke seemed insanely anti-climatic for me. He was set up to be a very powerful dark lord, and while I agree with a lot of the previous posters about everything being disected more and more these days, I still thought he would be someone like Plagueis or Palpatine. (Deep down I'm still hoping he's Palpatine and that he isn't really down and out)
• Rey also seemed very anti-climatic. Why set it up like a mystery with it coming back in a mad rush when she touches the lightsaber to have her be a "nobody"? I'm thinking it's miss-direction and we will find out there is more there. I am still in the she and Kylo are siblings camp and the Force-connection cemented that for me
• LOVED Yoda, was secretly hoping for either him or Obi Wan and was so happy he turned up
• I'm sorry, but I really disliked Rose. That whole storyline was unnecessarily long and boring.
• Luke's ending was so epic. Loved the twin sunset at the end. Cried though
• Also cried when he kissed Carrie on the forehead. Beautiful
• I'm sure I'm in the minority, or at least I was when I stopped reading to add my thoughts, but I liked the comedy. When Luke tells Rey to "reach out" and then tickels her with the branch was one of my favorite parts! "That's the Force! Wow! It must be really strong in you!" *SMACK
• I noticed on my second viewing how much he blames Obi Wan for Vader and that didn't sit quite well with me.

I kind of like leaving movies with questions, that means it kept my interest and it gets me stoked for the in between books and the next movie. I've always been super into the books and while part of me will be sad that we didn't get a Thrawn trilogy I am looking forward to reading Phasma, and whatever else comes before the next film.

I really like your post. I need to see it again. I was so emotional and worked up over everything I was seeing I think I need to see it again.

 

[chewlocca]

I didn’t know that about Leia. I went into the movie completely unspoiled and I haven’t had a chance to read the Leia book yet. Thanks for the explanation.

Totally love the idea of Ackbar sacrificing himself in the spaceship. That would’ve been way better.

There were other times in episodes 1-6 where Jedi were in trouble and could have used this power. Never saw it done. Luke was hanging upside down under cloud city and he called leia, why not just float up? Why not just hover above the rancor? Why do that crazy flip off of the skiff on Tatooine? Why not just hover above? It was terrible. I liked the movie but that was terrible.

 

[BrianL]

I didn’t know that about Leia. I went into the movie completely unspoiled and I haven’t had a chance to read the Leia book yet. Thanks for the explanation.

Totally love the idea of Ackbar sacrificing himself in the spaceship. That would’ve been way better.

Actually, as I think about it, Holdo was just an unnecessary character. It could have ben Ackbar (though it would have lowered my opinion of him). It's one thing if they wanted to kill some random character and keep Ackbar alive, but he dies too? Nah, whatever.

The reason I am critical of Holdo is her need to keep her entire crew believing they were going to die and not telling them that there was a plan and a safe haven nearby. If a rational person has this conversation it goes like (paraphrased from memory):

Poe: "We have to do something! The First Order will finish us off."
Holdo: "Don't worry, we have a base on a planet nearby that we can get to while styaing just out of their range."
Poe: "Really? Great! But, maybe as a backup, we send Finn and Rose to see if they can sabotage that flagship."
Holdo: "Okay, let them give it a shot."

But instead, Holdo is all "Follow my orders. Don't question me!" It's like, really, and who are you exactly? Maybe if it were Leia, they would have just trusted her enough by reputation, but Holdo? Nah, the mutineers were right.

 

[Dentam]

One thing I feel like we haven't seen. It's really mentioned in both these movies, but more explicitly in this one. Ben/Kylo destroyed the Jedi training academy, and he took several students with him. It's implied he formed the "Knights of Ren" with them - they would've been a bunch of force users. Where are these characters? I wonder if we are going to see Rey bringing together a bunch of force users and Kylo as well and then an all out battle of sorts.

I was wondering about what happened to those students he took with him as well when Luke said that in the movie. I hope we see them in the next movie!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Actually, as I think about it, Holdo was just an unnecessary character. It could have ben Ackbar (though it would have lowered my opinion of him). It's one think if they wanted to kill some random character and keep Ackbar alive, but he dies too? Nah, whatever.

The reason I am critical of Holdo is her need to keep her entire crew believing they were going to die and not telling them thatt her was a plan and a safe haven nearby. If a rational person has this conversation it goes like (paraphrased from memory):

Poe: "We have to do something! The First Order will finish us off."
Holdo: "Don't worry, we have a base on a planet nearby that we can get to while styaing just out of their range."
Poe: "Really? Great! But, maybe as a backup, we send Finn and Rose to see if they can sabotage that flagship."
Holdo: "Okay, let them give it a shot."

But instead, Holdo is all "Follow my orders. Don't question me!" It's like, really, and who are you exactly? Maybe if it were Leia, they would have just trusted her enough by reputation, but Holdo? Nah, the mutineers were right.

I definitely agree with you - she comes off very "First Order"ish by not explaining things to someone she had to know Leia approved of and just wanted some thoughts - and she didn't provide a good answer for why at the end she couldn't have said anything

I thought the character had potential - the idea of a contemporary of Leia's getting involved - but just seems random and not needed

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I definitely agree with you - she comes off very "First Order"ish by not explaining things to someone she had to know Leia approved of and just wanted some thoughts - and she didn't provide a good answer for why at the end she couldn't have said anything

I thought the character had potential - the idea of a contemporary of Leia's getting involved - but just seems random and not needed

The only thing I can think of is that if they were Force sensitive they couldn't have been with Snoke and Kylo due to the whole Rule of Two - so maybe Kylo hid them somewhere and now they can come out of hiding

 

[Dentam]

Does it really seem likely that Luke who would not "strike down" his father because he sensed conflict in him, would strike down his young nephew because.......er..... well.... he sensed conflict in him? Really?

I had a big issue with this as well. And wasn't Mark Hamill upset about this also? I thought I read that somewhere.

I agree about Ackbar - and in such a throwaway line as well ... he should have had a more heroic death - heck have him be the one who sacrifices himself in the spaceship going to lightspeed through the First Order ship

I couldn't believe they got rid of his character that way. I was sitting there in the theater thinking, "wait, did I hear that right"?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I had a big issue with this as well. And wasn't Mark Hamill upset about this also? I thought I read that somewhere.

I know he said when he first read the script he wasn't happy about the direction of the character - but not sure if he ever got more specific than that

 

[Aurora0427]

I know he said when he first read the script he wasn't happy about the direction of the character - but not sure if he ever got more specific than that

I mean I can’t imagine Mark loving the direction they sent Luke.... it’s so unlike the character he played in the OT. I wanted more for Luke, I’d think Mark would too.

 

[Chef Louis]

R2-D2 was there the Falcon was there his x-wing fighter was there, yet he dies from an astro-plaine. Bound to self exile after saving the galaxy and he doesn't even get a proper send off.

And ffs how can the Republic be the Resistance and Rebels..but still seeing it again tomorrow...go Disney.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

R2-D2 was there the Falcon was there his x-wing fighter was there, yet he dies from an astro-plaine. Bound to self exile after saving the galaxy and he doesn't even get a proper send off.

And ffs how can the Republic be the Resistance and Rebels..but still seeing it again tomorrow...go Disney.

To the later part, I saw it as the Resistance was the group Leia organized within the Republic. Now that the Republic has been dissolved / destroyed you can't have the subgroup of it so now they are back to just being Rebels against the First Order

 

[Q-man]

I know he said when he first read the script he wasn't happy about the direction of the character - but not sure if he ever got more specific than that

He did.

 

[rteetz]

He did.

Okay, that was purely edited to make it seem like Hamill was negative in all of those interviews. That was not the case. I saw the full interviews of many of those edited clips.